Organize your Basement in the Dog Days of Summer

Is your basement filled with clutter? The hot days of summer are the perfect time to get down into a cool basement and organize. Don’t get overwhelmed if it’s cluttered, you’ve got to start somewhere! Here are some tips to get you going:

Make a plan: If you don’t start with a plan, you may get down into that basement and just push piles from one place to another. How much of grandmother’s furniture are you going to save? How long have you been saving stuff for the upcoming yard sale you never had? Do you get lost in a sea of keepsakes and mementos? Remember, if you keep too much, you can’t find what’s truly important. Make some executive decisions about how much you can realistically hold on to without the burden.

Weed out: When the space is stuffed, the only way to make improvements is to eliminate. Get rid of what you can, then organize and contain the rest. First determine what you can toss, then decide if you want to sell online or donate to a family member, friend or charitable organization. Check out our comprehensive list of where to donate things in Chicagoland.

Organize: Once you’ve eliminated what you don’t need, it’s time to organize. Sort and place like items together. Plastic bins with lids and labels are perfect for organizing the stuff you want to keep. Make sure not to go out and buy the bins first, you’ll end up with container clutter! If you can’t seem to get through it on your own, remember to call the expert organizers at Chaos To Order 847-825-8400- we are always here to help! :-)

Monica Friel is president and founder of Chaos to Order. Monica manages and trains a staff of professional organizers who specialize in everything from household clutter to corporate chaos. She also represents brands and speaks publicly as an expert in the field of organizing.
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